Engine for use in logging and the like



1,584,686 J. R. MQGIFFERT ENGINE FOR USE IN LOGGING AND THE LIKE May 11 1926.

Filed April 24. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

v ATTORNEY) May 11,1926.

' J. R. M GIFFERT ENGINE FOR USE IN LOGGING AND THE LI KE ed April 24. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 752m A. flf zffirf BY &

6g ATTORNEYJ Patented May ll, i223.

J'DHN R. MCG'IFFERT, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNGB TO CLYDE IRON WORKS, OF DULUTH, IVIINNESGTA, A. COEPORATEGN OF MAINE.

ENGINE FOR USE IN LOGGING AND THE LIKE,

Application filed April 24, 1923.

The present improvements have more particular regard to a change speed mechanism desi ned for use in connection with a skidding engine, i. e., an engine connected to 6 drive winding drums for cables such as are employed in the logging operation known as skidding. In such operation a cableway is usually supported at one end on a suitable portable derrick, with which the skidding engine is associated, and a tree, or other fired support, and two lines are utilized, one a skidding line for. drawing the log in and the other an outhaul line. In mechanism of this type where greatly vary 5 ing loads require to be handled and where it is also desirable to operate at as high a speed as possible, there is great advantage in providing two speed mechanism for driving the winding drums. Thus in such log skidding operation the winding in of the outhaul line imposes a comparatively light load on the engine and the logs which are drawn in by the inding oi the skidding line vary greatly in size.

in mechanism oi the character described it is usual to connecttogether or intergear the two drums whereby the two lines in question are operated so that, for example, the outhaul line will pay out at substantially the same speed as the skidding line is drawn in and thus serve to hold the load after it is lifted to the carriage at approximately an even height relative thereto. To accomplish this result it is accordingly necessary that any change of speed should apply simul ta-neonsly to both such drums.

The object of the presentinvention accordingly is to provide a change speed mechanism which may be interposed between an engine and a pair of drums driven thereby, whereby the speed of the latter may be simultaneously changed, a further ob ect be ng the provision of positive means for insuring disengagement of one chain of gearing to such drums before the other is engages.

To the accomplishment of the fore oing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, 39 the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

Serial No. 834,285.

dicated by the line 1%, Fig. 3.

The engine 1, as usual where designed for field use as in log skidding, is a steam engine and is mounted alongside a boiler 2 at one end of a platform 3 mounted on suitable trucks or otherwise rendered portable. The drums and 5, on which the skidding line and outhaul line (not shown) are respectively wound, are mounted in a suitable frame 6 immediately in front of such engine and boiler and, as previously indicated, said drums are intergeared, this being accom-. plished through the medium of a shaft 7 supported above and between said drums and carrying pinions 8 and 9 that mesh with gears 10 and 11 on said drums, respectively. The crank shaft 13 of the engine instead of being directly intergeared to drive the adjacent drum 4: is connected therewith through the medium of the power-transmission mechanism lat, which will now be described in detail, having more particular reference to Figs. 3 and 4.

Said crank shaft is provided with two pinions 15 and 16, keyed or otherwise fixedly secured thereto and of different diameters so as to be capable of driving shaft 17 of the change speed mechanism at different speeds through the medium of gears 18 and 19 on the latter wherewith said pinions 15 and 16 respectively mesh. A pinion 2O fixedly secured on shaft 17 meshes with gear 10 on drum at so that the latter and thus intergeared drum 5 may be driven at correspondingly diiierent speeds.

The gears 18 and 19 are loosely mounted on shaft 17 and are respectively provided on their inwardly directed sides with integral clutch members 22 and 23, the friction surfaces of which are adapted to engage with opposed clutch members 24: and 25 that form parts of a friction head 26. The latter being non-rotatably secured to shaft 17 by means of keys 2S and also being held against longitudinal movement relative- 1y to said shaft by means of split collars 29 which are set into said shaft.

lVhile various means may be employed for moving either gear 18 or 19 as desired inwardly, so as to bring the corresponding clutch member 22 or 23 into frictional engagement with the opposed clutch part of head 26, I preferably employ the two air thrust mechanisms, one at each end of said shaft 1?, such mechanisms being of identical construct-ion and each comprising a cylinder drum 30 within which is reciprocably mounted a piston 31 tiat acts on a thrust pin 32 extending centrally through the center of shaft 17 to a cross bar o8 that is movable in a slot in said shaft. Each such cross bar engages with a collar 35 that in the one case bears against the outer face of gear 18 and in the other case against the outer face of gear 19. The air thrust cylinders are shown as fixed on the shaft and so turn with it, the air pipes 36 that are connected with such cylinders being thus connected through the medium of glands 37 which revolve on the pipes so that the latter may remain in fixed position, The air is directed into one cylinder and exhausted from the other alternately, this being simultaneously accomplished by "he operation of a suitable valve, as need not be described in detail. It will of course be understood that any suitable means may be provided, in lieu of such air thrust cylinders, for thus forcing one of said gears 18 and 19 inwardly and simultaneously withdrawing the other so as to secure driving connection between the crank shaft 13 and shaft 17 through either pinion 15 and gear 18 or pinion 16 and gear 19.

It is of course quite essential that when one of said gears 18 and 19 is thus clutched to shaft- 17, the other should first be thrown outof engagement with the latter. To this end I mount on shaft 17 between the inner faces of said gears 18 and 19, respectively, and the adjacent collars 29, a collar IO and a collar 41 thatare slidable along the shaft but are keyed thereto so as to be prevented from turning about said shaft. These two collars are held a lived distance apart by means of a plurality of thrust bars 42 (shown as three in number in Fig. one of such bars, however, appearing in Fig. Such bars extend through holes 43 in the friction head 26 and are provided. with turnbuckles ie so that their length may be adjusted as the friction faces onsaid head and on friction members 22 and 23 wear down.

As a result of the foregoing construction, if the thrust is removed from gear 18 and applied to gear 19, the first result will be the forcing out of engagement of said gear l, only 18 followed instantly by the engagementof gear 19 andvice versa. In other words, the disengagement of one gear is insured before the other is engaged. It will be seen from the foregoing that my improved change speed mechanism is not only simple and compact but that all of the operating parts are completely housed and thoroughly protected including the friction clutches whereby the gears 18 and 15), respectively, are engaged as desired with shaft- 17,

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In power transmission mechanism, the combination of a drive shaft, a second shaft parallel therewith, two pairs of intermeshing gears of different ratios, one of each such pair of gears being lined on said drive shaft and the other being mounted on said second shaft so as to be normally both rotatably and longitudinally movable relatively thereto, a member to be driven mounted on said second shaft between the two gears thereon, and means including a member rigidly interconnecting said gears and adapted to move either one thereof on said-second shaft to fixedly engage same with said member and simultaneously to move the other gear positively to disengage the same from said shaft.

2. In power transmission mechanism, the combination of a drive shaft, asccond sl'iaftparallel therewith, two pairs of inter-meshing gears of different ratios,oneol'eachsuch pair of gears being lined on said drive shaft and the other being mounted on said .-:ccond shaft so as to be normally both rotatably and longitudinally movable relatively iheie to, a member to be driven mounted on said second shaft between the two gears thereon, complementary friction members carried by said gears, respectively, means connected with each of the latter adapted to force the same inwardly along said shaft, and a rigid thrust member interposed between said gears whereby the one thereof is positively disengaged from said member before the other is brought into engagement therewith.

8. In power transmission mechanism, the combination of a drive shaf" a driven shaft parallel therewith, two pairs of inter-meshing gears of different ratios, one of each suca pair of gears being fixed on said drive shaft and the other being mounted on said driven shaft so as to be normally both rotatably and longitudinally movable relatively thereto, such longitudinal movement, depending on its direction, serving to engage said gears with or disengage the same from said driven shaft, and means including a member rlgldly but adjustably interconnecting said gearsshaft and the other being mounted on said driven shaft so as to be normally both rotatably and longitudinally movable relatively thereto, a friction head fixedly mounted on said driven shaft between the two gears thereon, complementary friction members carried by said gears, respectively, means connected with each of the latter adapted to force the same inwardly along said shaft, and a rigid thrust member interposed betweensaid gears whereby the one thereof is positively disengaged from said head before the other is brought into engagement therewith.

5. In power transmission mechanism, the combination of a drive shaft, a driven shaft parallel therewith, two pairs of intermeshing gears of difierent ratios, one of each such pair of gears being fixed on said drive shaft and the other being mounted on said driven shaft so as to be normally both rotatably and longitudinally movable relatively thereto, a friction head fixedly mounted on said driven shaft between the two gears thereon, complementary friction members carried by said'gears, respectively, means connected with each of the latter adapted to force the same inwardly along said shaft, and a rigid thrust bar of adjustable length interposed between said gears, whereby the one thereof is positively disengaged from said head before the other is brought into engagement therewith.

6. In power transmission mechanism, the combination of a drive shaft, a driven shaft parallel therewith, two pairs of intermeslr ing gears of different ratios, one of each such pair of gears being fixed on said drive shaft and the other being mounted on said driven shaft so as to be normally both rotatably and longitudinally movable relatively thereto, a friction head fixedly mounted on said driven shaft between the two gears thereon, complementary friction members carried by said gears, respectively, thrust pins extending inwardly from the respective ends of said driven shaft and connected with the corresponding gears to force the same inwardly along said shaft, a collar slidably mounted on said shaft in contact with the inner face of each of said gears, a plurality of thrust bars of adjustable length slidably held in said head in circumferentially spaced relation and connecting said collars, whereby the one of said-gears is positively disengaged fromsaid head before the other is brought into engagement therewith.

7 In power transmission mechanism, the combination of a drive shaft, a driven shaft parallel therewith, two pairs of intermeshing gears of different ratios, one of each such pair of gears being fixed on said drive shaft and the other being mounted on said driven shaft so as to be normally both rotatably and longitudinally movable relatively thereto, a friction head fixedly mounted on said driven shaft between the two gears thereon, complementary friction members carried by said gears, respectively, thrust pins extending inwardly from the respective ends of said driven shaft and connected with the corresponding gears to force the same inwardly along said shaft, air-cylinders mounted on the ends of said shaft, pistons in said cylinders acting on thecorresponding thrust pins, a collar slidably mounted on said shaft in contact with the inner face of each of said gears, a plurality of thrust bars of adjustable length slidably held in saidhead in circuniferentially spaced relation and connecting said collars, whereby the one thereof is posltlvely disengaged from said head before the other is brought into engagement therewith.

Signed by me, this 19th day of April, 1923.

JOHN R. MOGIFFERI. 

